Portable scaffold.



J. STRATINSKY.

PORTABLE SCAFFOLD.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. I6. 1915.

Patented July 4, 1916.

INV NT 2 fi dh BY 6 (1% p v ATTORNEYS.

WITNESS pnaru-umm. WASNINGTQN. n c

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH STRATINSKY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE SCAFIEOLD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed October 16, 1915. Serial No. 56,187.

forms for window washing purposes.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a portable scaffold or platform which will be light in weight, yet strong and durable, and which will be adjustable to fit various sizes of windows and will be knock-down in construction, so that it may be readily folded when not in use and for shipping purposes.

Other objects of my invention will appear hereinafter.

My invention consists in the particular features of novelty exemplified in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a structure embodying my invention and in operative position relative to a window; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Figs. 3 and 3 are detail view of. the locking device used for holding the railing members in place. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the clamps for detachably fastening the structure in position. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of one of the supporting strap members which forms part of the clamp. Figs. 6 and 6 are detail views of one of the side supporting bars for the floor bars of the structure. Figs. 7 and 7 a are detail views of one of the telescoping front railing members. Fig. 8 is a detail showing the hinge connection between one of the railing uprights and the-frame.

The structure which I have shown in the drawings is intended more particularly, though not necessarily, for household use and is designed to provide a compact portable scafiold or platform which any housewife may conveniently attach in position to wash windows and at the sametime provide a perfectly safe structure capable of withstanding strains imposed upon it and capable of preventing a person from falling. In the structure which I have hown, I provide two triangular frames 'A, each of which comprises a horizontal member 1, vertical member 2, and a diagonal member 3. These three members of each frame portion are preferably made of angle or strap iron so as to be light and still durable'and strong, and Y are rigidly fastened together in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by riveting. The horizontal members have their inner ends downwardly turned at 4: so that they maybe IlVBtGCl to the upper end of the vertical members 2. The diagonal members have their ends turned at an angle so that they may be firmly riveted to the ends of the horizontal .and vertical members. The floor or horizontal portion of the structure is preferably composed of a plurality of telescoplng rods or pipe members 5, so that they may be extended or collapsed into lengths to accommodate the various widths of windows 1n connection with which the structure may be used. These floor pipes or members, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, simply consist of two sections, one of which telescopes within the other a sufficient distance to provide rigidity throughout the range of extensibility of the member. The ends of these floor members loosely rest in notches 6 so that they may be removed or replaced, as desired, when the device is to be knocked down, the notches being formed in. an upstanding flange or member 1 on each of the horizontal members 1. of the supporting frames. In order to prevent displacement of these rods with respect to their supporting frames A, while the structure is in use, I provide a locking means which in this case consists of a long pin or rod 7 adapted to be inserted through transverse holes adjacent the ends of the floor bars These locking rods 7 also extend through upstanding ears or lugs 8 on the horizontal members 1, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6. This arrangement positively locks the floor bars in position yet permits their ready disassem bling when desired.

The structure is preferably attached in position by clamping members which are arranged to engage the window sills, the sills being represented by the numeral 10,

and the wall of the building by the, numeral 11. These clamping members are preferably in the form of two metal straps 13 substantially horizontally disposed and somewhat 11o conformed to the contour of the surface of the window sill ledge so that they will rest flat upon the window sill, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. Their outer ends are securely fastened at 11 to the upper inner corners of the triangular supporting frames A. These strap supporting or suspending members have elongated slots 15 (see Fig. 5) through which the clamping bolts 16 pass and in which the clamping bolts 16 are longitudinally movable when loose so that the structure may be adjusted to dilferent depths of window sills. The other members of the clamps are in the form of strap metal hook members 17 having a flat portion 18 which lies flat and is clamped against the under side of the members 13 by the clamping bolts 16. These clamping members 17 also have vertically disposed portions 19 which bear against the inner side of the wall below the window sill and are padded to prevent marring of the woodwork.

When the parts have been adjusted and the clamping bolts. which are provided with wing nuts 20 for convenience, are set up tight, they will properly take all the strains tending to pull'the structure away from its mounting. In positioning the structure care should be taken, of course, that the verticals 2 of the frames A will lie close against the face of the wall 11. These verticals, at their lower ends, have foot plates 2 which bear against the wall and distribute the pressure overa larger area. This arrangement will allow for variations in the wall and will always insure the triangular frame contacting with the wall at the lowest possible point, and it is to this point that the members 3, which serve asbraces. extend; Rising from each corner of the floor portion are the uprights or rail posts, the inner ones of which I have numbered. 21 and the outer ones 22. These are preferably formed of angle iron so as to be light and still rigid and are adapted, in conjunction with the horizontal rail members, to form complete walls or railing around three sides of the structure to prevent the person from falling out. The side railing members 23 are preferably pivoted at 24: to the inner uprights or post members 21. and their outer ends are provided with notches 25 which hook on to pins 26 on the corresponding outer uprights or posts 22, so that they may be unhooked from the outerposts and swing into a folded position to carry out the idea of a knock down structure. lVhile they are in use, however, I provide means by which the knocked ends are locked against becoming accidentally detached. These locked members are preferably in the form of latches 27 hinged at 28 to the posts 22 and carrying outstanding pins 29 which are adapted to be swung into or out of the path of movement of the ends of the horizontals 23. In this manner,

after the horizontal railing members 23 are hooked into position, the latches may be swung down tolock the railing members into position. The inner verticals or posts 21 are hinged at the points 50 on the supporting strap members 13 from which they rise, so that the posts 21 may be folded down against the floor members In like manner the outer posts or uprights 22 are pivoted or hinged at 31 to upstanding memberson the outer ends of the horizontal frame ment bers 1, so that these posts may also be folded. down upon the floor members, thereby providing a collapsing structure. The front railing is formed by a number of horizontal bars or pipes 32 which, like the floor rods 5, are made in two'telescopin g sections whereby to permit variation in the width of the structure to adapt it to varying widths of windows. These railing members 32 are provided with notches at both of their ends, so that they may be hooked on to pins 33-3 on the uprights or posts 22. This enables them to be readily detached when the structure is tobe folded or collapsed.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art,

after having obtained an understai'iding of my invention from the disclosures herein made, that the structure is capable of variation and modification without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and I wish it so understood.

iVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a knockdown structure of the class described, the combination of a pair of side frames, a floor member comprising a plurality of tel escoping members removably mounted at their ends on said frames to per mit the frames to be moved toward and from each other, and a lock on each side frame common to said telescoping members for maintaining said members in position.

2. In a knockdown structure of the class described, thecombination' of a pair of side frames, a floor member comprising a plurality of telescoping members removably attached at their ends to said frames to permit the frames to be moved toward and from each other. a clamping member for each side frame for mounting the structure in position, afront railing for said platform comprising foldable uprights on each of said frames, and telescoping railing members detachably connected to said uprights.

3. The combination of a pair of side frames, a floor member comprising a plurality of telescoping members attached at their ends to said frames to permit the frames to be moved toward and from each other, a clamping member for each side frame for mounting the structure in position upon a support, a front railing for said platform comprising foldable uprights on said frames, telescoping railing members detachably connected to said uprights, in-

ner foldable uprights on said side frames, and side railing members hinged on said latter uprights and detaohably connected to the front railing uprights.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pair of triangular side frames, a plurality of floor members detachably mounted on said triangular frames and each comprising telescoping sections to permit the Width of the structure to be varied in accordance with the place Where it is to be used, a common locking member on each side frame for locking said telescoping members to said frame, and foldable railings on said side frames.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pair of triangular side frames, a plurality of parallel floor mem bers detachably connected to said triangular frames and comprising telescoping sections to permit the Width of the structure to be varied in accordance with the place Where it is to be used, front and rear uprights hinged on said frames, telescoping railing members detachably connected at their ends to said front uprights and forming an adjustable front railing and railing members hinged to the inner uprights and detachably connected to the outer uprights on corresponding sides to form side rails.

6. In a portable knockdown platform of the character described, the combination of a pair of side brackets having horizontal reaches on their upper sides, said reaches having a plurality of notches spaced apart, a plurality of parallel floor members having their ends resting in said notches, and means for removably locking said members in their notches.

7. In a portable knockdownplatform of the character described, the combination of a pair of side brackets having horizontal reaches on their upper sides, said reaches having a plurality of notches spaced apart, a plurality of parallel floor members having their ends resting in said notches, and a locking bar movably mounted on each.

th day ofSeptember, 1915.

JOSEPH STRATINSKY.

IVitnesses: IGNAOE IzsAKY, DAVID L. NEUHAUSER;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for he cents each, by addressing the "Oonmlnloner of Intent,

' wllhllftil, n. O. i 

